Unemployment soars with 14,740 claims filed from Pierce County residents last week
New unemployment insurance claims soared for the week ending March 21 as Washington state workers stayed home under Gov. Jay Inslee’s order.
The number of Pierce County residents filing for unemployment benefits totaled 14,730, according to new data from the Washington State Employment Security Department. That’s a huge jump compared to the previous week, when 1,559 people filed an initial claim.
Statewide, 133,464 new claims for unemployment benefits were filed with the Employment Security Department, an increase of 119,310 new claims over the previous week. Put another away, an average of more than 19,000 people were putting in a claim each day last week. For context, the city of Port Angeles has around 19,000 people.
Given the restrictions put in place Tuesday, March 17, to slow the spread of the coronavirus, accommodations and food services industries took the brunt of the job losses statewide. Those industries had 41,309 claims, up 1,033% from the previous week. Health care and social assistance had 18,902 new claims, up 2,103%. New claims for retail was up 1,189%.
“This data shows the enormity of the situation unfolding in our state,” said Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine in a news release accompanying the data. “The velocity and volume of the impact of COVID-19 has created a crisis that is unprecedented in the history of the program – going back to the 1930s when it was established. To address this, I have an amazing team working hard on three very clear priorities: get benefits out more quickly to those who are eligible, expand eligibility for those who can utilize this benefit, and help employers find staff for essential jobs. The entire department is doing everything we can to meet the needs of this situation and our fellow Washingtonians.”
Last week the Employment Security Department said 14,154 initial unemployment benefits claims were filed for the week ending March 14, a 116% increase compared to the week before. That was before the statewide restrictions went into effect on March 17, closing bars, fitness centers and dining areas of restaurants.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Unemployment soars with 14,740 claims filed from Pierce County residents last week."
